First Look: Hoka Mafate 5 Offers Plush Ride for Distance on Trails

Two miles into the descent of a Colorado front-range path, I dashed amongst sharp rocks because the early morning gentle intensified. I centered on my toes to maintain tempo alongside the technical path that skirted a steep cliff to my proper. I felt planted and agency on the bottom though I bounded on the thick midsole of Hoka’s latest path working shoe, the Mafate 5.

I’d already determined that I preferred the shoe, and knew the place I’d use it in my quiver: longer distance days on reasonably technical trails. With a excessive stack, responsive midsole, cosy but comfy match, and aggressive outsole, this shoe is made for lengthy, quick days.

In brief: The Hoke Mafate 5 is a really protecting path working shoe that’s wonderful on reasonably technical trails. It affords quite a lot of cushion with its 44mm to 36mm (heel to toe) stack peak. Hoka’s new Rocker Integrity Expertise, basically a curved TPU plate sandwiched within the midsole, helps preserve rocker form over a number of miles for a quick step. An aggressive Vibram outsole and forgiving, supportive higher spherical out a shoe that may give path runners a number of safety for longer path days.

Evaluate the Mafate 5 with others on our information to the perfect path trainers.

Hoka Mafate 5 Evaluation

To be clear, I’ve had the Mafate 5 for about 2 weeks and solely gotten to run in them a couple of instances. My longest path run to date was a 5-mile loop on the Colorado Entrance Vary. I’ve additionally taken it out on a number of morning runs on blended pavement, grass, and gravel.

This can be a very early first have a look at a shoe that launched right now. I do have some good, typically constructive impressions of the shoe to date, however anticipate this assessment to be up to date with extra impressions quickly.

Operating the Beaver Brook/Chavez Path loop close to Evergreen, I discovered the footwear to be, at the start, protecting. With 44mm of stack below the heel and 36mm below the forefoot, this can be a thick shoe. It insulates the toes from each impression and irregularity within the path floor, which protects toes over lengthy miles on rocky or tough floor.

After all, the draw back of all this foam is a basic lack of floor really feel, which, in actually technical terrain, means much less proprioception and safety. But it surely’s a tradeoff many runners are keen to make, particularly when working trails that aren’t too dicey.

Preliminary Impressions

The Mafate 5 feels comparatively quick for such a tall shoe. It’s delicate, however not too delicate, and provides a sensation of propulsion throughout a working stride at toe-off.

Whereas working, there’s a little bit of bounce in the midst of the stride — after touchdown and proper earlier than toe-off — which I took as a constructive. The shoe feels environment friendly whereas maintaining toes completely satisfied.

I attribute that feeling to the “Rocker Built-in Expertise” that Hoka touts as a “suspended experience expertise.” Within the model’s personal phrases:

“[It’s] an modern breakthrough that helps preserve rocker form over a number of miles, this curved plate comprised of gentle, pliable TPU delivers snap with each step. Positioned between a firmer SCF EVA layer immediately underfoot and a softer CMEVA foam layer beneath it, the Mafate 5 boasts a suspended experience expertise not like its predecessors and redefines conventional dual-density foam methods. This new know-how permits the shoe to soak up uneven terrain and adapt to the path, whereas sustaining a responsive foot strike and environment friendly toe-off.“

Sure, that’s quite a lot of advertising and marketing jargon. However I have to agree, the shoe feels responsive, but protecting.

Outsole

The Mafate 5 has a really aggressive Vibram outsole. I ran over hard-packed grime, rock, and moist boulders, and thru a stream and dust. I solely slipped as soon as, which occurred after working out of a stream and immediately onto easy rock.

The moist sole skittered somewhat, and I used to be capable of catch myself rapidly. Apart from that misstep, the footwear had been very grippy on all surfaces.

The only is nice for many off-pavement surfaces, and I didn’t catch my toes in any respect, even when ascending, which I are likely to do greater than I like.

Midsole

Right here lies the magic of the Mafate 5. The midsole is each plush and responsive, a difficult steadiness in a high-stack shoe. Hoka explains its design as a TPU plate sandwiched between two EVA foam layers with various densities. Hoka clearly put quite a lot of thought and engineering into the midsole, however I’m specializing in the way it feels on a runner’s foot.

Whereas working, it doesn’t really feel squishy, however it does have somewhat little bit of bounce. It positively promotes ahead propulsion, and I seen myself rolling rapidly from a mid-foot touchdown to my forefoot and toe-off.

On uneven rock surfaces, the midsole permits the shoe to adapt to the bottom fairly properly. This ends in good traction and strong connection of the runner to the bottom. I didn’t discover myself misplaced in area, a sensation I’ve had occasionally on high-stack footwear.

As a substitute, the Mafate 5 provides sufficient suggestions for the physique’s pure instincts to stay. Proprioception is, whereas somewhat restricted with the dearth of floor really feel, nonetheless fairly good.

I haven’t accomplished any massive outings on these but. However I believe it’ll be superior when ticking off 20+ mile days. I’ll attempt to get out on an extended run within the coming weeks for an replace to this part.

Higher, Laces

First off, I just like the Mafate 5 laces. Nothing flashy right here, the laces tie simply and keep tied. It appears foolish to have to say this, however I’ve skilled too many path trainers that overengineer laces, which then untie on a regular basis. These are easy, good, and efficient.

Under the laces, wrap-knit materials with an anti-fray remedy types the premise of the higher. It feels delicate and stretchy, however retains toes properly anchored inside the shoebed. They’ve a TPU cage that helps hold toes solidly in place. It additionally dried rapidly after a splash by means of a stream and after some wet hours at a campsite.

I did discover somewhat slop whereas sidehilling on steep terrain, one thing that I seen extra at climbing velocity than whereas working. I personally suppose that the higher could be very good and aimed toward path runners going for lengthy distances. But it surely’ll be somewhat delicate for actually technical or off-trail terrain. That’s probably not the marketplace for this shoe, so I believe it’s a sensible compromise to intention for consolation over inflexible safety.

I haven’t run this shoe sufficient to deal with sturdiness, however after a few weeks, some runs, and a few days of carrying it round a campsite, the shoe doesn’t look any worse for the damage.

As a Climbing Shoe

Only a transient observe right here as a result of many hikers take into account path trainers for backpacking. The Mafate 5 is definitely a succesful shoe that gives respectable assist and excellent traction.

Nevertheless, I personally discovered it somewhat bouncy for a strolling gait. Whereas shifting from a full run to a climbing cadence for some longer climbs, I seen that the shoe provides somewhat extra rebound and cushion than I’d need if I had been carrying a heavier backpack.

It’s totally tremendous for energy climbing throughout an extended path run. It nonetheless affords good rebound and an environment friendly stride. But when including the burden of a backpack and slower tempo, I’d most likely select one thing with much less stack peak and a firmer sole for somewhat extra sound connection to the earth.

Hoka Mafate 5: Who Ought to Purchase It

Whereas it’s been a couple of years since I participated in an organized path race, I nonetheless like big-mile days. And I believe ultra-runners will admire the Mafate 5’s steadiness of cushion and efficiency. I do know I’d have beloved it on some 100-mile races the place my toes screamed from abuse after many hours on the path.

In the event you’re contemplating a high-stack shoe for lengthy races or coaching days, I believe the Mafate 5 must be proper close to the highest of the listing. I’ve a really common foot form and discover the width works very properly for my toes. These with very slender or very extensive toes might wish to try different choices, because it appears the Mafate goals proper down the center of the match spectrum.

I examined a measurement 9.5 and located it suits true to measurement.

Once more, I nonetheless don’t have massive miles on this shoe. My preliminary impressions are typically constructive, with some withholdings to be used as a climbing shoe. However outdoors of that non-core use case, I believe the Hoka Mafate 5 might be a robust performer as a protecting shoe aimed toward lengthy miles.

I plan to replace this assessment after my subsequent long-mile day. Till then, I believe the Mafate 5 might be an important choice for path runners, particularly these searching for a very good mix of efficiency and safety.